But he swore he’d find me—that’d he’d do everything to get me back. Well, his word was final. His word was true. He’s back.

Ace Crow: Ruthless. Deadly. Risky. An extremely bad man. I’m everything he’s not. I’m the missing piece to his disturbing puzzle. But he’s mistaken about one thing. No one said getting me back was going to be easy. There are always consequences to ones actions. There are always hidden truths. There is always betrayal.

Things aren’t so simple anymore. My life has changed dramatically. Bringing him back in will only be dragging me back down.

But then I hear the crunch of footsteps along the cool sand. The steps are soft, but I hear them clearly. I look up, spotting a tall silhouette approaching,

It’s late. Ever since what happened in New York, I feel no place is really safe so I start to run back for my house, but the person calls my name.

I halt.

Gasp.

That voice… it’s familiar.

My eyes are the widest they’ve ever been.

“Don’t run. You’re safe,” he murmurs over the howl of the wind. “Turn around.”

My hands are cold but my blood is boiling—whooshing in my ears. My throat tingles. I’m not sure what I’m feeling. But I give in. I turn. I want to believe my eyes have deceived me, but I know they haven’t. They couldn’t have, because in the flesh is the man I fell so dangerously hard for three years ago. In the flesh, is the man that fell for me, the man that sacrificed his life and friends for my sake. The man that is supposed to be dead.

Before me is the man I never thought I’d lay eyes on again.

With his hands tucked in the pockets of his grey slacks, his smile so wickedly handsome beneath the pale moonlight, he deeply murmurs, “It’s been a while, Red.” And I can’t believe myself, my body’s reaction, but from the sound of his highly intoxicating voice I clench like never before.

One last step and I can finally see him clearly. He looks the same, if not better. A little skinny and a little more rugged, like he’s been through hell and back, but better.

Sexier.

Sleeker.

Breathtaking.

“Ace.” I release a sharp gasp. My head spins. My gut churns. My body starts to rock back and forth. I’m losing the battle with gravity.

He realizes what’s happening, that I think I’ve completely lost my mind, because the last thing I hear him say is my name before I fall backwards, my eyes shut, and I fade into darkness.

This is Ace.

This is the man I love.

This is a dangerous man, yes, but a man I will never drift away from. Someone I will never forget.

He is all I ever wanted, and now that I have him back I refuse to let him go again. This is a second chance, the second chance I didn’t get with my family. The second chance I deserve. I squeeze my eyes tighter but Ace holds my chin, ordering me to look at him.

I open them slowly, and when I look into his I see sincerity. I see heart. I see longing. Pain masked with nostalgia. I see everything, and I fall face forward into a sea of yearning. I fall without wanting to be saved. I fall hard for him, all over again. Empathetically.

His lips are still close, so close I can feel the heat of them. I want the light trace of his lips on mine—the hunger I know I’ll feel once he finally presses them against mine. After he releases my face, his eyes blazing, I’m finally granted what I solely desire.

Picking me up in his arms, Ace crushes my lips with a hard groan and plants my ass on the countertop. Demanding hands rip at my shorts, the fabric tearing as he yanks them down. Deep groans fill the kitchen, along with unwavering moans. After snatching at his belt, I lock my arms around his neck and his belt jingles as his pants drop. His cock presses on my thigh and a slight thrill swirls through me.

Pulling me towards the counter edge, his tongue toying with mine, he presses his perfect cock at my entrance and I still. My pussy holds no resistance to him. I’m wet for him. Eager for him. I’ve been ready for him, begging for this moment to happen month after month. He slides in with ease and, inch by inch, my lips part, recalling just how good it feels for him to be inside me. He nips at my bottom lip and my frantic hands cup his face, hanging on for dear life as he fucks me on the counter.

New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author Shanora Williams considers herself a wondrous, down-to-earth author who's all about romance, paranormal, and the historical fiction. Coffee and Oreos are her addiction. Reading is a necessity. Whenever she isn't writing or reading, she's most likely spending her time with family and loved ones, or watching hit TV series on Netflix.